What language is this?

Koine Greek – the language that most of the New Testament was written in.

What does it mean?

“all nations” or “all ethnic groups”

Why is this term important for building biblical, multi-ethnic community?

If we look up the places where this phrase is used in the Bible (see below) it is obvious that God’s heart has always been to bless “all nations” and bring them together into unified communities (and ultimately into one unified community in Heaven) for His glory.  This is important for anyone who would question whether it is “Biblical” to bring people together of different ethnicities.

For further study:

In his article, “Unreached Peoples: The Unique and Primary Goal of Missions” Dr. John Piper provides an in depth study of this phrase.  He includes a listing of all Bible passages where the phrase can be found (below).

Following are all the places where the combination of pas (all) and ethnos (nation/Gentile) occur in the New Testament, either in the singular (“every nation”) or plural (“all nations/Gentiles”).

Matthew

• 24:9 – “You will be hated by pantaon ton ethnon for my sake.”
• 24:14 (cf. Mark 13:10) – “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to pasin tois ethnesin; and then the end will come.”
• 25:32 – “Before him will be gathered panta ta ethne, and He will separate them one from another…”
• 28:19 – “Make disciples of panta ta ethne.”

Mark

• 11:17 – “My house shall be called a house of prayer for pasin tols ethnesin (cf. Isaiah 56:17)

Luke

• 12:30 – “For panta ta ethne of the world seek these things.”
• 21:24 – “They will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among ta ethne panta.”
• 24:47 – “Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to panta ta ethne, beginning from Jerusalem.”

Acts

• 2:5 – “Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from pantos ethnous under Heaven.”
• 10:35 – “In panti ethnei any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.”
• 14:16 – “In past generations he allowed panta ta ethne to walk in their own ways.”
• 15:17 – “…that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and panta ta ethne who are called by my name.”
• 17:26 – “And he made from one pan ethnos of men to live on all the face of the earth…”

Romans

• 1:5 – “We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among pasin tois ethnesin.”

Galatians

• 3:8 – “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall panta ta ethne be blessed.’” (cf. Genesis 12:3)

2 Timothy

• 4:17 – “But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the word fully, that panta ta ethne might hear it.”

Revelation

• 12:5 – “One who is to rule panta ta ethne with a rod of iron.” (cf. Psalm 2:8)
• 15:4 – “Panta ta ethne shall come and worship thee…”

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